Inside edition just had an expose on Herb Zerden and his scamming company. They also link to it here. http://www.insideedition.com/ourstories/reports/story.aspx?storyid=1059 http://www.truthaboutscientology.com/stats/by-name/h/herb-zerden.html Like many American homeowners these days, Holly Quick's mortgage on her dream home near Cleveland ballooned beyond her budget. When she fell several months behind on payments, her bank called with warnings that she was near foreclosure. "I was in desperation. I had two kids to think about," Quick tells INSIDE EDITION. Just when she was about to give up hope, Quick received a card in the mail from a company in Clearwater, Florida called "Foreclosure Assistance Solutions" or "F.A.S." The card read, "We can help you get caught up even if you do not have all the money your mortgage company is demanding." "Call now even if you think it's too late! We can help!" Desperate, Quick called the company. She says a salesperson for F.A.S. told her she would have to pay them a $1,500 dollar service fee upfront, which Quick paid with a credit card. Quick explained that F.A.S. promised to work with her lender to keep her out of foreclosure. One condition was that she was to have no contact whatsoever with her lender. "I was guaranteed that I would not lose my house," she says. However, to her surprise, several months later, her bank called to tell her she was already in foreclosure. Quick and her kids would have to abandon their dream home. Moreover, she says her bank told her that F.A.S. had never even contacted them. At F.A.S.'s offices in Clearwater, Florida, there isnt even a sign to identify the company. But, authorities say in just a two year period, salespeople for the company were able to convince desperate homeowners from around the country to send them almost $13 million dollars. INSIDE EDITION interviewed a woman who was a salesperson for F.A.S. for two years. The woman, who asked not to be identified in our report, tells INSIDE EDITION that she was instructed by management to take a homeowner's money, even when it was too late to save the home. INSIDE EDITION obtained a telemarketing script used by F.A.S. salespeople. An apparent scare tactic, the script, in part, reads: "The sheriff can show up and take you and your kids...and physically remove you from your house...for all your neighbors to see!" Aaron Frank says he also fell for the sales pitch. He says when F.A.S. promised he could keep his home near Austin, Texas out of foreclosure, he sent them every last dollar he had, and then never heard from them again. "No phone calls, no letters, no nothing," Frank tells INSIDE EDITION. The former F.A.S. salesperson told INSIDE EDITION that every day, panicked people complaining that they'd been taken would call the company to demand a refund. "There would be hundreds of messages on the voicemail, and the person in the refund department at that time, I watched them just keep hitting the delete button. Never even listening to them." Frank says while waiting for F.A.S. to help, he too lost his home. At 52, he's had to move back in with his elderly mother. "I felt so low," Frank says. "I never felt so low in my life, it was so bad." "It's the classic take your money and run scheme," says Ohio attorney general, Marc Dann, who is now investigating F.A.S. "They're preying on a vulnerable population. They're taking money and doing nothing in return," Dann tells INSIDE EDITION. "These are the worst of the worst." 56-year old Herb Zerden is one of the leaders of F.A.S. He lives in Florida, behind closed gates, in a $2 million dollar mansion complete with pool and boathouse. INSIDE EDITION caught up with him while he was gassing up his $70,000 Mercedes. Gregory B. Wisner, age 27, was identified as the person whose body was found in the surf near Indian Rocks Beach, FL, on January 20, 2001. Gregory Wisner's mother, Helen, married Herb Zerden when Gregory was quite young. Helen and Herb are active Clearwater, FL area Scientologists. Herb Zerden has been documented working with local FaRT and Bigotwatch founder Mary DeMoss, in her harassment campaign of Scientology critics. "The decedent had tried to stop using cocaine and had mentioned "cleansing" himself to a close friend. Perhaps this is the reason for his visit to the ocean. The cocaine intoxication may have contributed to his drowning. The manner of death is accident."- John R. Thogmartin, M.D., Chief Medical Examiner http://www.whyaretheydead.net/gbw/gregory.html " Tuesday, October 23, 2007 Texas AG Halts Foreclosure Rescue Scam's Unlawful Operations Foreclosure Assistance Solutions, LLC of Florida, and its principal operators, Herb Zerden and Adolfo Quintero, as well as J.W.W. Services, Inc., of California and owner John Woodruff, are prohibited from targeting and deceiving Texans who fall behind on their mortgage payments pursuant to a temporary injunction issued by the 408th District Court. " http://www.mortgagefraudblog.com/index.php/weblog/permalink/texas_ag_halts_foreclosure_rescue_scams_unlawful_operations/ More names linked to Foreclosure Assistance Solutions, LLC: Donald Tolan http://www.truthaboutscientology.com/stats/by-name/d/don-tolan.html Alfredo Quintero http://www.truthaboutscientology.com/stats/by-name/a/adolfo-quintero.html http://myreligion.scientology.org/adolfoq/ "I have the ability to communicate to other people without any feelings whatsoever and my income increased by 360%!!" Isn't such a quote priceless, from a guy who is associated with a scam? Herb[ert] Zerden http://www.truthaboutscientology.com/stats/by-name/h/herb-zerden.html http://www.slatkinfraud.com/inv_2001_4b.htm http://www.oag.state.tx.us/oagNews/release.php?id=2225 http://www.oag.state.tx.us/oagnews/release.php?id=2181 John Woodruff http://www.truthaboutscientology.com/stats/by-name/j/john-woodruff.html http://cc.msnscache.com/cache.aspx?q=72325780298529&mkt=en-CA&lang=en-CA&w=be4ee172&FORM=CVRE8 Sunbiz.org: http://tinyurl.com/2hxojr There is an entity in California related to FAS: R.A.I.L. LLP 2321 E 4TH STREET C112 SANTA ANA CA 92705 US http://www.sunbiz.org/pdf/00151408.pdf R.A.I.L. LLP seems to be an acronym, so can't find anything on the California Business Portal. How convenient! "Mayan Enterprise" happens to be at the exact same address as "R.A.I.L", but this one doesn't show up either. Let's throw more data whenever we find more, this might prove a good project to dedicate a web page to this scam, with all the ramifications.
Here is another scammer:
In 1999 Thomas Emanuel Geraets founded "Source Business Administration Gmbh", based in Baar, Switzerland. (Note the name: SOURCE!) Family members and friends (all scientologists) were involved in the company. Three years later, in 2002, it went in bankruptcy, leaving behind millions in dept. During the procedure no money was found! (The curator once was my lawyer! navy.internetopl...) Summary: * 1500 members of a fitness club, "Orange Club" found that money disappeared from their accounts AFTER the club was closed. One of the club owners was Fridtjof Geraets. 25 people lost their job, including scientologist Paula Veenstra. * CreaMedia in Heteren lost $ 450,000. * Rudolf Peelen lost $ 200,000. * Harry van de Goor lost $ 180,000. * A German company went bankrupt and 150 workers lost their job. During a law suit 3 bodyguards were removed from court because of intimidating witnesses, a reporter was threatened by scientologist Geraets and a key witness because of death threats and never showed up in court. A scientologist named "Johan" (who wanted to be kept anonymous) became the Organization Executive Officer van Source Business. "Johan" and Geraets knew each other from Celebrity Centre Rheinland in Düsseldorf. "Johan": "I thought it was a bona fide business, because Geraets and his family involved in the business were all scientologists like me." "Johan" claimed hundred thousands for his never paid wages and direct payments to Scientology. As a resulkt of not getting paid, "Johan" couldn't pay back his loanes. This resulted in visits by bailiffs and loss of his home. "Johan" held Scientology partly responsible for his loss: "Ethics make it impossible to charge Geraets, so they are responsible too. They cover up his behavior because he brings in shiploads of money. He bought 10 E-meters at $ 20,000 each, pays courses for himself and his family in Florida and the Freewinds and he and his family donate money to Scientology." After "Johan" sent many emails and letters to Scientology, they payed him off a couple of ten thousand dollars, he said. So, nothing new under the sun! _________________ "THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN CONTROL PEOPLE IS TO LIE TO THEM."